Microsoft allegedly working on new browser for Windows 10

Alexey Zhukov

08:50, December 30, 2014

Windows 10 may be accompanied by a new browser, a report claims. Microsoft is said to be working on a browser codenamed "Spartan," one which is said to be a lightweight browser that represents a fresh start from the current Internet Explorer browser, and may end up being a completely separate browser release rather than becoming Internet Explorer 12.

Sources of ZDNet claim Spartan will be released in the desktop version of Windows 10 alongside Internet Explorer 11, with the older browser providing a level of backwards compatibility. On tablet versions of Windows 10, users will only get to use Spartan. As for how the browser will perform, it will apparently include extension support and have an appearance close to Firefox and Chrome, though it will continue to use Microsoft's Chakra JavaScript engine and Trident rendering engine instead of switching to WebKit.

It is suggested that Microsoft may use its January 21 event to show off the browser for the first time, though when users will be able to try it out is unknown. Sources claim it will not be functional enough to be included in the Windows 10 January Technical Preview builds, but could make an appearance in a later build before Windows 10 is released to the public.